[ENG] YS 1 - Ancient Ys Vanished Omen

In 1987, Falcom has released this game about the Kingdom of Ys, menaced by evil powers. A hero, Adol Christin, will try to bring back peace. To reach this goal, he must first find the 6 sacred Books of Ys.

It's a great RPG with nice PSG musics. Actually the beginning of a famous serie, source of passion for many old and new gamers !

As it is a very long adventure, it's strongly recommended to make saves on a regular basis. On an emulator, the best option is the using of the CPU save states feature. On a real machine, you need a formatted user disk and the keys F1 (loading) and F4 (saving) will be very useful.

Fights happen by lateral contact with the enemies, you win money by killing them and you get experience points every time that you progress in the game with intelligence.

To access to the inventory of the items you have, you need only to press on the "I" key or on the spacebar. Selection of a normal item can be made with the cursors; using of some specific items (heal potion, wing, hammer, mirror) is possible by pressing on the RETURN key.

There are also special items, you need only to have them. They appear in an apart window after the normal items..

To know your detailed status during the game, you must press the "S" key. Take care for having the appropriate status and the good weapons to fight against the bosses !

The characters

In this quest, you will meet different characters. The list below is not complete, you need to add the Poet Lair, Luta Gemma, Colin, Rasta.

Sarah will be your main friend in this quest : she will give you some good tips and a precious item : a Crystal.

Sarah's father will give a message from Sarah and the Tovah book when you will come back from the Temple with the Hadal Book.

Major lives in the Zeptic Village : if you find his Silver Bells, he will give you the Power Ring.

Jeva lives also in the Zeptic Village : if you have the Crystal, he will give you the Temple Key; his girl Feena is emprisoned in this temple.

After her release, Feena will help you to read the 3 first sacred Books of Ys.

Menu options :
1 - quit
2 - talk with Feena
3 - talk with Jeva

Goban Toba lives in the mountains, far away from all. He's the only person who can open the tunnel to the Tower, but he'll do that only if your equipment fulfills some conditions.

No village without a good Bar where you can drink, pick up some infos or make good business !

The normal items

You can get different normal items in your quest.
For the swords, armors and shields, it's generally recommended to select them just after acquisition.
Other items need to be used delibaterely ! After your entry in the Tower, the Wing is no more available, but an Hammer will be very helpful.

SwordsShort Sword : can be buyed for 500 gold in the Minea villageLong Sword : can be buyed for 2000 gold in the Minea villageTalwarl : can be buyed for 5000 gold in the Minea villageSilver Sword: is given by a big tree if you have the Roda Tree Seed; can also be found in the TowerFlame Sword : can be found in the Tower

ShieldsSmall Shield : can be buyed for 700 gold in the Minea villageMiddle Shield : can be buyed for 2000 gold in the Minea villageLarge Shield : can be buyed for 6000 gold in the Minea villageSilver Shield : can be found in the Temple and in the TowerBattle Shield : can be found in the Tower

ArmorsChain-Mail Armor : can be buyed for 400 gold in the Minea villagePlate-Mail Armor : can be buyed for 2000 gold in the Minea villageReflex Armor : can be buyed for 5000 gold in the Minea villageSilver Armor : can be found in the Mine and in the TowerBattle Armor : can be found in the Tower

Specific itemsHeal Potion : useful to refill your vitality; can be buyed for 1000 gold in the Minea village, but can also be found in the Temple, the Mine and the TowerWing : allows to come back quickly in the Minea village, but can't be used in the Tower; can be buyed for 2000 gold in the Minea villageHammer : allows to break an external column of the Tower, can be found in the Tower after having defeated the Fourth BossMirror : freezes all enemies, but can break after many usings; can be buyed for 1000 gold in the Minea village, but can also be found in the TowerMask of Eyes : allows to see hidden passages, but the enemies become invisible; can be found in the TempleBlue Necklace : avoids to be emprisoned and neutralizes the negative effects of the Evil Ring; Rasta will give it in the Tower in exchange with the Eagle Idol

RingsPower Ring : doubles your attack power; you get it in the Zeptic Village if you come back from the Temple with the Silver BellsMail Ring : decreases the amount of damage enemies by one-half; can be found in the TempleTime Ring :reduces the speed of your enemies by one-half ; can be found in the MineHeal Ring : allows to refill your vitality; can be found in the MineEvil Ring : gives access to some locations of the Tower, but needs to be used with the Blue Necklace; can be found in the Tower.

The special items

You can get different special items in your quest.
The 6 Books of Ys are the goal of your quest, but you will need the 6 keys and 12 other special items to progress in your mission.

BooksHadalBook : can be found in the Temple after having defeated the Second BossTovah Book : is given by Sarah's father when you come back from the Temple with the Hadal bookDaby Book : can be found in the Mine after having defeated the Third BossGemma Book : can be found in the Tower after having defeated the Fifth BossMessa Book : can be found in the Tower after having defeated the Fourth BossFakto Book : can be found in the Tower after having defeated the Final Boss

KeysTreasure Key : allows to open the chests; can be found in the TempleCell Key : allows to release Feena; can be found in the TempleTemple Key : allows to explore the Temple; is given in the Zeptic Village if you have the CrystalIvory Key : allows to open the 1st door to the Second Boss; can be found in the TempleMarble Key : allows to open the 2d door to the Second Boss; can be found in the TempleDarmKey : allows to access to the Tower; can be found in the Mine

Special Items 1Crystal : is given by Sarah as soon that you are enough equipped to begin your questSapphire Ring : can be buyed for 1000 gold in the Minea village and sold for 1500 gold to the One-Eyed Man of the BarSilver Bells : can be found in the Temple; must be brought back to the Zeptic Village to get the Power RingSilver Harmonica : can be found in the Mine; must be brought back to the Poet Lair in the Minea villageGlasses : allow to read the books of Ys and to see the end demo; are given by the Poet Lair when you release her from the jail in the TowerRodaTree Seed : allows to talk to the big trees and to get the Silver Sword; can be found in the Mine

Special Items 2Eagle Idol : is given by Colin in the Tower; must be exchanged with the Blue NecklaceMagical Rod : allows to pass through the mirrors on floors 13 and 21 of the Tower; can be found in the Tower after having defeated the Fifth BossRuby : can be found in the Temple and sold for 1200 gold in the Minea villageGolden Necklace : can be found in the Temple and sold for 500 gold in the Minea villageGolden Vase : can be found in the lake and sold for 2000 gold in the Minea villageBlue Amulet : allows to open the door leading to the Final Boss; is given by Luta Gemma if you have released the Poet Lair from her jail in the Tower

The walkthrough

Here's a simplified walthrough with the main required actions. For more details, I suggest you take a look at the many guides available on the Net, especially the guide mentioned as useful link in the beginning of this review !

This long adventure begins in the Minea village where a fortune-teller called Sarah will inform you about the perils menacing Ys and advise you to buy some equipment. Buy first a Sapphire Ring and sell it back to the One-Eyed Man in the Bar. Talk to the other people in the Bar and in the village. Buy then a Short Sword and a Chain-Mail Armorbefore leaving the village. Kill some enemies in the battle field that precedes the bridge, so you will be able to buy a Small Shield.

Go back to the battle field, cross the bridge and go to the lake. Enter in the water to find the Golden Vase that you will sell back to make possible the buying of a Long Sword. Equip yourself and go back to Sarah. She will invit you to find back the Books of Ys and give you a Crystal as way to identify you as the saviour of Ys.

Go now to the Zeptic Village, talk to everyone and you will get the Temple Key. It's your next goal in the mountains. Touch the golden statue to access to the 1st Temple level. Open the chest to get the Ruby, then attack the First Boss: THE MAGICIAN ! When he will be defeated, the door to the 2d Temple level will be opened.

Find first the Cell Keyto release Feena. You will find 4 other items in this part of the Temple : the Treasure Key, a Golden Necklace, the Mask of Eyesand the Silver Bells. Go back to the 1st Temple level to open the chest with the Mail Ring. Go to the Zeptic Village to bring back the Silver Bells and acquire the Power Ring, then go to the Minea village to sell the Ruby and the Golden Necklace before buying the Plate-Mail Armor.

Go back to the Temple and explore the 3rd level, where you'll need to touch golden statues to access to some items or to use the Mask of Eyes to see an hidden passage on the right side of a blue statue. You will find 5 items in this part of the Temple : the Ivory Key, the Silver Armor, an Heal Potion, the Marble Keyand the 1st Book of Ys, the Hadal book, protected by the Second Boss : THE MILLIPEDE.

Go back to the Zeptic Village and read the sacred Book with Feena, then go to the Minea village where Sarah has left a message with the 2d Book of Ys, the TovahBook. Talk to the Poet Lair. Buy a Wing and a Talwarl, go back to Feena, then go to the Mine. You will find 3 items in the 1st Mine level : the Time Ring, theSilver Armor and an Heal Potion.

Explore then the 2d Mine level to find 3 other items : the Heal Ring, the SilverHarmonica and the Roda Tree Seed. Use the Wing to go back to the Minea village. Buy a Reflex Armoranda Large Shield, you will need them later in your quest. Give his harmonica back to the Poet Lair and go to the two big trees after the bridge : talk to them and you'll get the Silver Sword.

Kill some enemies to buy a new Wing, then go to the 3rd Mine level. You will find 3 items in this level : the Darm Key, an Heal Potion and the 3rd Book of Ys, the Daby Book, protected by the ThirdBoss : THE VAMPIRE BATS. Use the Wing to go back to the Minea village. Visit again Feena, then go to Goban's house, lost in the mountains. Before entering, equiped with the silver suit (sword - armor - shield), check also if you have the Reflex Armor and the Large Shield.

Goban will open you the tunnel to the Tower. There's no more any turning back, you must go to the end of the quest. To pass from a Tower floor to another one, you need each time to go outside the Tower. You will find 3 items on floor 2: an Heal Potion, a Mirror and the Evil Ring (don't select it at this moment!). On floor 3, use the Mask of Eyes to see an hidden passage between the gargoyles (between the 4th one and the 5th one) and talk to Rasta who wants to find back a statue with the form of an eagle.

Nothing special on floors 4 and 5, but as soon as you access to floor 6, you are blinded and transported to a jail on floor 1, without your complete silver suit. Equip yourself with your alternative suit. Talk to your cellmate, his name is Luta Gemma. Wait then that the wall breaks down and that Colin gives you the Eagle Idol. Exit and go back to floor 3 : in exchange of the statue, you'll get the Blue Necklace.

Select the Blue Necklace before going back to floor 6 and passing to floor 7 where you will find another exemplar of the Silver Sword. Go then to floor 9 for another exemplar of the Silver Shield, protected by 4 living statues. Go back to floor 8 and open the door to the Fourth Boss, SCYTHER THE POKEMON, who protects the access to 2 items : the Hammer and the MessaBook, the 5th Book of Ys.

Go then to floor 11. Before entering, use the Hammer to break an external pillar (the 2d one on the right of the door when you come from floor 10). Without this action, you will die poisoned in a part of floor 11. On this floor, you will talk again with Luta Gemma, he will ask to save someone who is emprisoned in the Tower.

On floor 13, Colin will give another indications. Go to floor 14 and fight against the FifthBoss, THE BOULDER, who protects the access to 2 items : the Magical Rodand the Gemma Book, the 4th Book of Ys.

Go back to floor 13 and solve the 1st mirror-puzzle to find another exemplar of the Silver Armor. Go to floor 15 and find the Battle Shield. On floor 16, select the Evil Ring and the Blue Necklace to pass a door beyond a starry catwalk and release the Poet Lair. She will offer you Glasses. You are now able to read the sacred Books on your own (press on the "R" key and choose one of the available options).

Go back to floor 11, where Luta Gemma will give you the Blue Amulet. Go then to floor 17, where you will find an Heal Potion. On floor 19, select the Blue Necklace before opening the chest with the Battle Armor. Go back to floor 18 to access to floor 20, where an hole in the wall will open the way to the Flame Sword. Floor 21 is a 2d mirror-puzzle that ends on a fight against the Sixth Boss, TWINHEAD.

After you have defeated Twinhead, a door leads to floor 25 where you must fight against the End Boss, DARK FACT. Your silver suit is required. After your winning, you'll get finally the Fakto Book, the 6th Book of Ys.

The end

Press then on "R" to access to the menu allowing to read the 6 sacred Books. Select the 6th option to see the end demo. Peace seems back on Ys, but your quest is not really finished .... Rendez-vous in YS 2 !!!